By: Robert Barrington, Ad Editor
Saint Leo faculty and students, from the psychology department, attended the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) Conference in New Orleans on Feb. 15 – 18. Professor Shannon Farris and Professor Tammy Zacchilli and their students presented poster sessions on cyberbullying. The conference took place at the Sheraton Hotel on Canal Street overlooking downtown New Orleans during the Mardi Gras celebration.
The poster sessions displayed posters from faculty and students from other universities in the Southeastern United States, and featured posters from the Saint Leo faculty and students with titles: Cyberbullying: A Study of Parental Awareness, and Will They Grow Out of It? The Prominence of Cyberbullying in College. The conference gave students a chance to present the research they had gathered throughout the year, and to experience discussion sessions with their peers in the field. Attending the conference in New Orleans offered students firsthand experience on presenting their research outside of their academic environment and into a professional conference setting.
Cyberbullying is a new field that has developed with social media, and new laws are being developed to combat abuses. “Although instances of cyberbullying in college were found to be minimal compared to studies of high school and middle school children, cyberbullying can cause serious social and psychological problems,” said Saint Leo psychology student Cheralyn Barrington. According to the poster, “Cyberbullying is defined as an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual using electronic forms of contact repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself.”
The research involved having participants take surveys online, with questions that were designed to measure the participant’s knowledge of cyberbullying. Saint Leo faculty and students answered questions and elaborated on what defined cyberbullying, and what the consequences of being a victim entailed. They talked about the trends, and the new laws that are currently being formed in order to combat cyberbullying, and how people need to be informed about their rights when it comes to being cyberbullied. Although cyberbullying can cause many social and psychological problems, the perpetrators think they can hide behind a computer screen, but new technology has made it easier to find out who is behind the harassment. The law takes cyberbullying very seriously, and those found guilty could face stiff fines and even end up in prison.
The Saint Leo faculty and students that attended the SEPA conference in New Orleans had the opportunity to enjoy the parades and the parties of Mardi Gras, and since New Orleans is also known for its fine cuisine, those in attendance had the opportunity to enjoy alligator hors d’oeuvres during the conference welcome reception.
